1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to installing a child seat in a vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates a child seat anchoring structure that prevents the seat belt webbing from getting caught during installation of a child seat into a vehicle.
2. Background Information
Many vehicles have vehicle child seat anchors for installing a child seat therein. These child seat anchors are typically located between a seat cushion part and a seat back part in the area of the seat belt anchors. The seat cushion part of the seat extends generally in a horizontal direction relative to the vehicle. The seat back part of the seat extends generally upright from the vicinity of the rear end edge of the seat cushion part. The seat belt anchors are used to fix the end parts of the seat belt webbings to the vehicle body. The seat belt anchors are typically fixed to the floor panel of the vehicle by a bolt or the like. The seat belt anchors are positioned between the rear end part of the seat cushion part and the lower end edge of seat back part. The webbing is drawn out from between the rear end edge of the seat cushion part and the lower end edge of seat back part.
The child seat anchors have a child seat fixing striker that is typically provided separately from the seat belt anchor for installing a child seat on the vehicle seat. The child seat fixing striker is fixed to the floor panel between the rear end part and the lower end part. The child seat fixing striker is provided with a mounting part that is fixed to the floor panel by means of a bolt or the like. The child seat fixing striker is also-provided with a generally gate-shaped striker body that is coupled integrally with the mounting part and serves as the attachment part that fits together with the slot of the locking part of the child seat.
Next, the operation of the above described child seat anchor is explained. In most cases, the child seat is placed on the upper surface of the seat cushion and the child seat locking part is moved toward the striker body of the child seat fixing striker from the forward direction of the vehicle towards the rear end of the vehicle. As a result, the slot fits together with the striker body. The lower surface part and back surface part of the child seat are in contact with and fixed to the upper surface part of the seat cushion part of the seat part and the surface of the seat back that faces the cabin interior. With this kind of conventional child seat anchor, there is the risk that webbing will get caught in the slot of the child seat locking part. Specifically, if webbing is located in the area between the slot and the portion of the striker body facing the front of the vehicle when the child seat is being installed, then the webbing will get caught in the slot of the child seat locking part.
One method to avoid this problem might be to form a slit in the seat cushion part to provide a detour path for the seat belt. However, this method could potentially increase manufacturing costs because separate slits must be formed in the seat cushion part in order to provide such detour paths for the seat belts.
In view of the above, there exists a need for a child anchoring structure which overcomes the above mentioned problems in the prior art. This invention addresses this need in the prior art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.
One object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive child seat anchoring structure capable of preventing the seat belt webbing from getting caught when installing a child seat into a vehicle as previously described.
This object is basically attained by providing a child seat anchoring structure for installing a child seat into a vehicle body. The child seat anchoring structure basically comprises a seat belt-anchor, a child seat attachment part and a webbing guide part. The seat belt anchor is adapted to have the webbing of a seat belt fixed thereto. The child seat attachment part mounted adjacent said seat belt anchor. The child seat attachment part is arranged to receive a locking part of the child seat by moving the child seat in a generally backward direction of the vehicle so that the locking part approaches the child seat attachment part. The webbing guide part is arranged to prevent the webbing from entering a region in front of the child seat attachment part in which the locking part of the child seat is received.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses preferred embodiments of the present invention.